Background: End stage renal disease (ESRD) incidence and prevalence in Canada have been steadily increasing. In Newfoundland and Labrador, the prevalence of ESRD is the highest in the country. Over fifty percent of patients started on a treatment modality for ESRD choose hemodialysis. Due to the increasing demand for hemodialysis facilities for the increased patient population diagnosed with ESRD, there is a need for more nursing staff to be trained in nephrology nursing. Purpose: The purpose of this practicum project was to develop a manual for new nurses orientating into the nephrology unit in hemodialysis. Methods: An informal needs assessment, integrated literature review, and consultations and collaborations were conducted. Results: The need for a new manual was substantiated from results gained from the informal needs assessment, integrated literature review, and consultations and collaborations. Using principles of Knowles’ Adult Learning Theory, and Benner’s Novice to Expert Model, a learning resource manual was developed for orientation of new hemodialysis nurses. The manual was divided into seven working modules that covered the important aspects of hemodialysis that a newly orientated nurse would need to know prior to working independently. Conclusion: Implementation and evaluation of the manual will be done prospectively. After final approval by the divisional manager and the clinical educator, the manual will be implemented in the orientation of staff. Evaluation will involve knowledge based questions after each module towards the learners’ feelings towards the usefulness, relevance, and usability of the learning resource manual. Six-months post orientation, this survey will be repeated to determine if the manual met the learners’ needs
